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Artificial blood developed for patients of any blood type, researchers say

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Re: Artificial blood developed for patients of any blood type, researchers say

#41

This is really interesting. I wonder whether it truly is compatible with every single person, e.g. even RH-null etc? I also wonder whether religious groups who don't accept blood would potentially accept this.

> I also wonder whether religious groups who don't accept blood would potentially accept this.

I understand they don’t accept blood from other people because they believe the blood is tightly related to the soul. So if the blood is 100% artificial I don’t think they would have a reason to not accept it, unless they find another reason, and I’m sure some obscure group will find a reason to not accept artificial blood either.

Re: Artificial blood developed for patients of any blood type, researchers say

#42
post #41

This is really interesting. I wonder whether it truly is compatible with every single person, e.g. even RH-null etc? I also wonder whether religious groups who don't accept blood would potentially accept this.

> I also wonder whether religious groups who don't accept blood would potentially accept this. I understand they don’t accept blood from other people because they believe the blood is tightly related to the soul. So if the blood is 100% artificial I don’t think they would have a reason to not accept it, unless they find another reason, and I’m sure some obscure group will find a reason to not accept artificial blood…

With that reasoning, they probably wouldn't want "soulless" blood either.

Re: Artificial blood developed for patients of any blood type, researchers say

#43
post #29

Historically, there have been many efforts in the past to make artificial blood and IIRC they didn't turn out well for the patients. It's a bit like the the body with vitamins. At first they thought vitamins were all you needed - then they started discovering micro-nutrients. Blood is pretty complex - does this include just the highest-order bits of blood, or does it include everything that blood has?

The (immediate) goal isn't to have it so you go get drained and refilled once in a while, it's to have a longer lived substitute that is good enough to use.

So the question is whether it works in emergency situations, not whether it is as good as the real thing in all ways.

Re: Artificial blood developed for patients of any blood type, researchers say

#44
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, what about immune function? It's pretty interesting to have one when and after you're bleeding out... And before you tell me the potential is there, please realize that we currently have only a very partial understanding of how that works, and it would certainly require at least two decades of science to get right.

I was asking, not arguing.

Ok, sorry

Re: Artificial blood developed for patients of any blood type, researchers say

#45
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A doctor in charge of a blood extraction campaign explained to me that this is exactly the reason why there is a constant high demand of blood donors. Between hospitals there are exchanges daily of blood (you might have a certain blood type that another hospital needs right now), but a lot of blood does get wasted, because of the short times it has. They also separate blood in different kinds (platelets I think it wa…

Do you know if there is any kind of inventory management system that helps blood banks balance their supplies?

They typically operate regionally.

Re: Artificial blood developed for patients of any blood type, researchers say

#46
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I also wonder whether religious groups who don't accept blood would potentially accept this. I understand they don’t accept blood from other people because they believe the blood is tightly related to the soul. So if the blood is 100% artificial I don’t think they would have a reason to not accept it, unless they find another reason, and I’m sure some obscure group will find a reason to not accept artificial blood…

With that reasoning, they probably wouldn't want "soulless" blood either.

Excuse me, I only accept organic non-GMO virgin blood...

Re: Artificial blood developed for patients of any blood type, researchers say

#47
post #32
post #29

Historically, there have been many efforts in the past to make artificial blood and IIRC they didn't turn out well for the patients. It's a bit like the the body with vitamins. At first they thought vitamins were all you needed - then they started discovering micro-nutrients. Blood is pretty complex - does this include just the highest-order bits of blood, or does it include everything that blood has?

If I'm bleeding out and the blood bank is dry I'm not going to be so picky. A few weeks later I'll have made my own to replace it.

Obviously, any blood is better then no blood. But will you survive that long on artificial blood if it doesn't contain all the right properties for your body?

Re: Artificial blood developed for patients of any blood type, researchers say

#48
From what I understand (also heard about this in a podcast recently), they take existing blood of any type and are able to modify the RH and type. So blood still needs to be donated but it can be any Typs and RH as that is what can be modified to any type and RH now.

Re: Artificial blood developed for patients of any blood type, researchers say

#49
post #41

This is really interesting. I wonder whether it truly is compatible with every single person, e.g. even RH-null etc? I also wonder whether religious groups who don't accept blood would potentially accept this.

> I also wonder whether religious groups who don't accept blood would potentially accept this. I understand they don’t accept blood from other people because they believe the blood is tightly related to the soul. So if the blood is 100% artificial I don’t think they would have a reason to not accept it, unless they find another reason, and I’m sure some obscure group will find a reason to not accept artificial blood…

At least in the case of one of those groups (Jehovah's Witnesses), it's based on a bit of text in the bible saying literally "abstain from blood". Transfusions are no good, including your own blood previously stored. Fractions and products are in a grey area though and left up to personal conscience.
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